Fire and the Tiniest Claws (Rewritten)
by SilverMoon2015
Summary: A what if story! What if Firestar was a girl and had been born in Scourge's litter? What if they went to the forest together during Bluestar's Prophecy? R&R! (Hiatus)
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**Hello my Warrior Cats fans! As you can see I've decided to rewrite to this story since I haven't been keeping up with it. I've been sort of stuck with writers' block and life's been kind of busy with Christmas Break, finals, and school in general. So now I'm back! Hope you all enjoy Fire and the Tiniest Claws (Rewrite) as much as you liked the original version! :D Please keep in mind that the first few chapters won't be rewritten or changed completely. I will begin the rewriting process at chapter 4/5 and beyond. This means the original version of these chapters will be deleted and rewrites entirely! So without further ado... R &R**

* * *

 _Allegiances_

 **ThunderClan**

Leader Sunstar = bright ginger tom with yellow eyes

Deputy Tawnyspots = light gray tabby tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cats Goosefeather = old speckled gray tom with pale blue eyes

Featherwhisker = pale silvery tom with bright amber eyes, long whiskers, sweeping, plumy tail

Warriors (toms, and she-cats without kits)

Fuzzypelt = black tom with fur that stands on end and yellow eyes

Windflight = gray tabby tom with pale green eyes

Stormtail = blue-gray tom with blue eyes

Adderfang = mottled brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Sparrowpelt = big, dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Smallear = gray tom with very small ears and amber eyes

Thrushpelt = sandy-gray tom with white flash on his chest and green eyes

Speckletail = pale tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Dappletail = tortoiseshell she-cat with beautiful dappled coat

White-eye= pale gray she-cat, blind in one eye

Patchpelt = black-and-white tom with amber eyes

Leopardfoot = black she-cat with green eyes

Bluefur = gray she-cat with blue eyes; **Apprentice, Firepaw**

Thistleclaw = spiky-furred gray-and-white tom with yellow eyes; **Apprentice, Tigerpaw**

Rosetail = light ginger she-cat with pinky-orange tail

Lionheart = magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane; **Apprentice, Tinypaw**

Goldenflower = pale ginger she-cat

Apprentices (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Tigerpaw = dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws

Tinypaw = very small black tom with one white paw and ice-blue eyes

Firepaw = pretty ginger she-cat

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Swiftbreeze = tabby-and-white she-cat, mother of Adderfang's kits: Redkit, Spottedkit, and Willowkit

Robinwing = small, energetic brown she-cat with ginger patch on her chest and amber eyes, mother of Fuzzypelt's kits: Frostkit and Brindlekit; nursing Whitekit

Kits (less than six moons old)

Whitekit = white tom with blue eyes

Frostkit = white she-cat with dark blue eyes

Brindlekit = dappled gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Redkit = tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail

Spottedkit = tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat

Willowkit = very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Larksong = tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes, oldest cat in ThunderClan

Weedwhisker = pale orange tom with yellow eyes

Mumblefoot = brown tom, slightly clumsy, with amber eyes

Poppydawn = long-haired, dark red she-cat with a bushy tail and amber eyes

Stonepelt = gray tom with a long scar over his shoulder

* * *

 **Prologue**

Ginger was curled up fast asleep against her mother's side. All around her she could feel the warmth of her littermates as they slept. Unfortunately the time for sleeping was going to end sooner than she would've liked.

"Wake up, Ginger!"

The small orange kitten jerked awake with a gasp as something warm, fluffy, and alive landed right on top of her. She automatically leaped onto her paws, the sudden movement causing her attacker to fall off with a muffled 'oof' and 'ow'.

Looking over her shoulder, Ginger saw that her 'attacker' was in reality her jet-black brother Tiny. Her eyes glanced over to the window and saw nothing but darkness. This was all the orange kitten needed to know that it was still nighttime.

Her green eyes turned back to her littermate. "Really, Tiny?" Ginger hissed, completely annoyed that she could still be asleep if it weren't for him.

The other kitten backed up a few steps, his blue eyes scared. "I-I-I just w-wanted you to come outs-side w-with m-me to l-look at t-the s-stars," her much smaller brother stuttered without meeting her eyes, shuffling his paws.

Almost immediately Ginger felt her anger fade. Heaving a sigh, she stretched her neck forward and touched his ear with her nose. "I'm sorry," she murmured gently before leaning away and standing up. "Come on, let's go."

Together the two siblings walked out of the cat flap and out into the moonlit yard. The neatly trimmed grass shone silver, except for the dark shadows that stretched across the lawn from the wooden fence that bordered the yard. In a corner of the garden there was a tree, its branches heavy with green leaves. A light breeze sighed from the forest that stretched out from beyond the fence. In the distance an owl hooted, causing Tiny to jump in fright.

Ginger pressed against him in comfort. "It's all right," she soothed. "You're safe."

Tiny looked up at her with wide fearful eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked.

She purred. "Yes, I'm sure. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you," the orange kitten promised him.

For a moment there was silence as they sat down and looked up at the night sky. Silvery specks could be seen dotting the black veil and the stars seemed to twinkle cheerfully down on them. Suddenly a streak of silver flashed across the sky, and Ginger knew if she had blinked she would've missed it.

"Whoa!" Tiny gasped before turning to her, his icy eyes shining with excitement. "Did you see that Ginger!"

Again the orange kitten purred and nodded. "Yes, I did."

"Where do you think it went?" he wondered, searching the night sky for the silvery trail that had blazed behind the shooting star.

"I do not know," Ginger told him before repeating, "I do not know."

* * *

In a deserted clearing surrounded by a bramble barrier, a bright ginger tom and speckled gray tom sat alone, staring silently up at the clear night sky. They too suddenly saw the shooting star that blazed over the treetops.

The speckled gray tom gasped and the fur along his spine bristled while his tail twitched.

"What is it, Goosefeather?" the bright ginger tom questioned, yellow eyes shining like twin moons in the darkness.

"It was a message from StarClan!" Goosefeather breathed after a moment of silence, his eyes now focused on his companion. "A prophecy."

At the mention of StarClan, the younger tom had his full attention on the other. "What was the prophecy?"

Goosefeather looked away and turned his gaze back to the stars, a distant look coming into his pale blue eyes. "With the tiniest of claws, fire will save our Clan," he rasped.

"Fire?" the bright ginger tom echoed, eyes narrowing in confusion.

Goosefeather blinked and met the other tom's gaze. "Yes, Sunstar, fire. But keep it in mind that fire doesn't always mean destruction," he warned. "It can also have the power to protect and bring new growth."

Sunstar blinked before looking back at the stars. "If StarClan has spoken, than it must be so," he mewed. "With the tiniest of claws, fire will save our Clan."


	2. Into the Wild, part 1

**Chapter One**

Darkness was all she could see. Ginger could only see the outlines of the undergrowth and trees that she knew surrounded her. The unknown forest was filled with many strange new scents. The smells that filled her nose and made her mouth water were the scents of earth, leaves, moss, and small woodland creatures.

She sensed something nearby. The young she-cat widened her green eyes, scanning the dense undergrowth. Despite her unknown surroundings, she moved deeper into the shadows. The strange scents were what drew her in and caused her to keep going. A deep gurgling rumble sounded from her stomach, and she was reminded once more of her hunger. She parted her jaws, tasting the air for something that could satisfy her needy stomach.

In her peripheral vision, Ginger saw a flash of gray race past her. The orange she-cat froze and slowly flashed her eyes in the direction it had gone, her head also still. She listened carefully. A rustling sound reached her ears and, with the utmost care, turned silently to face the direction the creature had gone. It was hiding in the leaves less than two tail-lengths away. Ginger knew it was a mouse and she wasn't going to let it get away, not this time.

"Hey, Ginger! Wake up!"

Her head snapped up from her cat bed, the forest melting away. She was never in it to begin with, it was a dream. The orange she-cat was sleeping in her soft cat bad in the kitchen of her new house folk, or she had been sleeping.

Standing in front of her was her brother and littermate, Tiny. A few days after they had seen that shooting star, some new housefolk came with their kits. Quince, her and Tiny's mother, had told them along with their other littermates that they were there to play with them and get to know them. The next day, each of them went to new housefolk. Unlike Ruby and Socks who went to different housefolk, Ginger and Tiny had got the same housefolk. This had been almost four moons ago.

"Hello, anybody home?" Tiny called, prodding her flank. His icy eyes gleamed with mischief.

Mentally shaking her head from those thoughts, Ginger focused on her smaller littermate. "What is it, Tiny?" she sighed, sitting up and began to give her fiery pelt a good wash.

The small black tom didn't even waver. "I want to go out and explore the forest again," he announced.

Ginger snapped her head up and stared. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Last time you were nearly attacked by that bird!" she reminded him.

Her brother didn't even seem fazed. "Of course I'm sure!" Tiny insisted excitedly.

She glanced up at the window, the sunlight was already beginning to fade away. "All right," Ginger finally agreed grudgingly. "But we've got to hurry, it's almost dark."

"Yes!" Tiny cheered happily before charging out the cat flap, without a backwards glance.

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Ginger raced after him. For a small cat Tiny was really fast and she always had a hard time keeping up. Sometimes she wished she had his energy.

Right as she burst out of the cat flap and into the garden, Tiny was already climbing over the fence. Almost immediately Ginger put on a burst of speed and, without stopping, she clawed her way up and over the fence. Her paws landed soundlessly onto the grass beyond and there was no sign of Tiny, but she could smell him.

The young she-cat charged in the direction it went. As her brother's scent became stronger, she heard the sound of fighting. Fearing the worst, Ginger soon found herself almost flying through the forest until she burst out into a small clearing where a gray tom with patches of white and spiky fur was ruthlessly attacking her littermate. Behind him was a large gray she-cat and a young dark tabby who looked to be around Ginger's and Tiny's age.

"Thistleclaw, stop! He's only a kit!" the gray she-cat yowled shrilly. "He's no threat!"

The gray and white tom pinned her brother to the ground, blood welling scarlet along his wounds."An intruder is an intruder, Bluefur! You've always been to soft on them," he snarled at the she-cat.

Without thinking twice, Ginger streaked across the clearing and slammed into Thistleclaw with a battle cry, the tom completely unprepared for her attack. He staggered sideways, losing his footing and released Tiny from his clutches. Filled with rage that the much larger tom had hurt her brother, Ginger dug her claws deep into the gray and white cat's spiky fur and sank in her teeth. No subtle rituals of swiping and boxing preceded this fight. The two cats were locked in a screaming, writhing tussle that flipped and somersaulted around the clearing surrounded by woodland.

As Ginger scratched and struggled, she was suddenly aware that she felt no fear, only determination to protect her smaller brother. It was in that moment she realized that she would be willing to die for her brother, if it meant he would be alive and safe.

Then Ginger felt her collar tighten around her neck. Thistleclaw had gripped it between his teeth and was tugging, and tugging hard. Ginger felt a terrible pressure at her throat. Unable to breathe, she started to panic. She writhed and twisted, but each movement only made the pressure worse. Retching and gulping for air, she summoned up all her strength and tried to pull away from Thistleclaw's grip. And suddenly, with a loud snap, she was free.

Thistleclaw tumbled away from her. Ginger scrambled to her paws and looked around. Thistleclaw was crouching a few tail-lengths away. And, dangling from Thistleclaw's mouth, Ginger saw her collar, mangled and broken.

At once, Bluefur pelted past Thistleclaw and stood in front of Ginger. "That's enough!" She bared her teeth, and Ginger noticed how the older she-cat was tensed to fight. Her thundering heart twisted at the sight, but in a good way. It had been a long time since someone had helped her defend not just herself, but Tiny as well.

"Warriors don't need to kill to win a battle, remember?" Bluefur snapped, blue eyes blazing with fury at Thistleclaw.

Ginger peaked around the gray she-cat. Clumps of fur was hanging from the spiky furred tom's ruffled coat, much like her own. She could feel a cut stinging above her eye. The gray and white patched tom had a badly torn ear, blood streaming down his hard-muscled shoulders onto the forest floor.

Thistleclaw glared at Bluefur. "I was just defending our territory," he snarled.

"And you've done that," Bluefur meowed, sounding like she was trying to get the tom to see reason, before she exploded. "And if I _ever_ see you do something like that again, I'll report you to Sunstar!"

For a moment the two older cats glared at each other, before Thistleclaw turned and stalked away between the trees, his spiky pelt soon swallowed in shadow. The young dark tabby hesitated, his amber eyes uncertain, until a loud "Tigerpaw!" was heard from the direction that Thistleclaw had went and, giving an apologetic look to Bluefur, he darted off after the older tom.

Once they were gone, Bluefur turned to face Ginger and Tiny. "Are you all right?" she asked, worry shining in her piercing blue eyes as they darted from one kit to the other.

Ginger glanced over at her small brother, who had padded over to stand at her side sometime during Thistleclaw's and Bluefur's showdown. The small black tom had gashes up and down his flanks and scratches all over his muzzle, all of his wounds were still dripping blood.

"I think so," Tiny mewed shakily. "But I don't think my housefolk will want me anymore."

Her heart clenched painfully as she realized he was right. His once unmarred pelt was now covered in scratches and other wounds, most of them were deep and would most likely leave scars. No housefolk wanted kittens that looked to have something wrong with them. They might still take her as she didn't have any wounds that would leave a scar except for the scratch above her eye, but they would more than likely not take back Tiny.

"Then perhaps it will be best if you come with me," Bluefur suggested. "I'll take you to my Clan's medicine cat and he can give you something for your wounds. Maybe my leader will let you join, if he thinks you could be of use."

Tiny dipped his head in agreement before looking at Ginger. "I guess we won't be seeing each other any more," he muttered, his icy eyes filled with regret and sadness.

Ginger frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Our housefolk will take you back, but they'll never take me," her brother explained.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Did he really think she'd leave him after nearly dying to protect him from Thistleclaw? Straightening up, Ginger now narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you trying to get rid of me?" she demanded

Tiny looked at her in surprise. "What? No!" He shook his head. "I don't want you to leave me, but I don't want you to give up our home!"

Ginger stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious right now, Tiny?" Her green eyes blazed with fury. " _Our_ home? It won't be if you can't come back!" she snapped. "No! My home is wherever _you_ are, brother."

Her littermate's eyes widened, hope lighting them up. "Do you really mean that, Ginger?"

Purring, Ginger stepped forward and brushed her muzzle against his own, ginger and black blending together. "Of course I do, you stupid furball," she teased. "Always and forever."


	3. Into the Wild, part 2

**Chapter Two**

By the time they reached Bluefur's home, which will hopefully be theirs as well, it was past moonhigh. The run through the forest had made them all breathless, but Ginger and Tiny were more than willing to prove themselves. They weren't going to be slowed down by their injuries that Thistleclaw had inflicted, they both promised themselves that they weren't going to give the spiky furred tom the satisfaction that he had caused them physical pain.

On the journey, Bluefur had told them some things about her Clan or ThunderClan as the gray she-cat had called it. She explained how there were three other Clans, beside hers, that lived in the forest, and they were called RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan. Bluefur then went on to explain the different roles in a Clan, such as the leader, deputy, medicine cat, warriors, apprentices, queens, and elders.

A leader obviously was in charge of the Clan and were also the ones who were given nine lives from 'StarClan', their warrior ancestors. It was the leader's job to appoint a deputy at moonhigh, no matter what, since the deputy served as second in command of a Clan and kept the Clan organized by organizing patrols for food and border patrols to defend their territory against rival Clans.

Then there were the medicine cats. They too served an important role in a Clan since they healed their injuries and illnesses, and also help the queens with having kits. A medicine cat served as a connection to StarClan as well by decoding prophecies and omens, plus every half moon all medicine cats went to a place called Highstones and speak with StarClan through dreams.

Last of all, were the elders. They were all former warriors and queens who had long since retired after giving a long service to their Clan, and had earned a chance to have peace from their duties. Bluefur had also told Ginger and Tiny that it was a great honor for any Clan cat to reach that far, and not many did since they would more likely die before they reached the age of an elder.

"We are very close to my Clan's camp now," the large gray she-cat meowed, having halted on a rock that rested on the edge of a small ravine with both Ginger and Tiny panting as they stood beside her.

Ginger peered curiously over the edge of the ravine, straining to see any signs of life in the darkness - moving leaves, a glimpse of fur moving among the bushes below, but saw nothing except for the same thick undergrowth that covered the forest floor.

"Can you smell my Clan?" Bluefur pressed, tip of tail twitching impatiently.

Ginger closed her eyes and sniffed with Tiny mimicking her actions from where he stood at her side. The smell of many cats filled her nose, each scent smelling like the last. All of the combined cat scents were much different from the ones she was used to. The air smelled stronger, speaking of many, many different cats.

She nodded thoughtfully and announced, "I can smell cats."

Bluefur purred in amusement before sobering. "Follow me," she told them. "And stay close. Anyone who is still awake will smell your kittypet scent the moment we walk in, so be quiet." The gray she-cat now leaped over the edge and led the way nimbly down the boulders to the bottom of the ravine, and pushed her way through a thick patch of gorse. Ginger stopped before it, allowing Tiny to go first before taking up the rear. As her sides scraped against the prickly gorse, Ginger looked down and saw that the grass underneath her paws was flattened into a broad, strong-smelling track. This must be the main entrance into the camp, she thought.

Beyond the gorse, a clearing opened up. The ground at the center was bare, hard earth, shaped by many generations of pawsteps. It was obvious to Ginger that this camp had been here for a long time. The clearing was dappled by moonlight, and the air was cool and still.

Ginger looked around, her eyes wide. All around she could sense sleeping cats, though she could also see a few flashing eyes peering out from the shadows. The clearing was edged with thick grass, dotted with tree stumps and a fallen tree. A thick curtain of ferns and gorse shielded the camp from the rest of the woods.

"This way," meowed Bluefur, twitching her tail for her and Tiny to follow. The blue-gray she-cat padded over to the side of a large boulder where lichen was draped over a gap cracked in the rock. Before entering, Bluefur called out, "Sunstar? Are you awake, I need to speak with you."

From behind the lichen curtain, Ginger could here movement. "Of course, Bluefur. Come in," a deep voice replied, and they slipped through the curtain. Sitting in a thick, cozy-looking nest was a large bright ginger tom, his pale creamy-yellow stripes barely noticeable, even with the faint moonlight seeping through the lichen that covered the small cave's entrance.

The bright ginger tom's yellow eyes narrowed. "Why is there two kittypets here?"

"We were patrolling near Twolegplace when we came across this kit," Bluefur began, flicking her tail in Tiny's direction, "and Thistleclaw demanded why he was on our territory. The kit didn't even have the time to answer before Thistleclaw had attacked him, brutally clawing at him with no remorse. There's no doubt in my mind that he was going to kill the kit."

Sunstar frowned. "Why didn't you stop him?"

"I tried calling him off first, but he wouldn't listen. I was just about to intervene when she," Bluefur now nodded to Ginger, "came out of no where and attacked Thistleclaw."

The ThunderClan leader now turned his gaze on her. "Why would you, another kit, attack a seasoned warrior?" he meowed, his eyes gleaming with interest.

Ginger straightened up, lifting her chin. "I wasn't about to stand by and let some arrogant flea-bag try and kill my brother," she retorted heatedly, eyes flashing with protectiveness for her smaller littermate.

Sunstar's eyes widened. "He's your brother." His mew was shocked.

Ginger nodded, not saying anything, and Bluefur took over again. "Anyway," she continued, "her attack gave us all a shock, so by the time a snapped out of it, she had already gave Thistleclaw some pretty serious wounds and he will more than likely have scars to remember her by. It was then I stepped in and it was not that long after that Thistleclaw left with Tigerpaw."

The bright ginger tom shook his head. "I never knew Thistleclaw too be so blood thirsty that he would be willing to kill an innocent kit," he sighed before looking at her and her brother. "What are you called?"

"I'm Ginger," she mewed bowing her head to the ThunderClan leader, showing him the respect that any leader deserved. "This is my brother, Tiny."

The small black single white-pawed tom bowed his head in greeting, but remained silent.

Sunstar looked both of them up and down. "Hmm. You two should have Goosefeather and Featherwhisker see to you for those scratches and bites," he meowed, his eyes kind and sympathetic. "Tomorrow I'll announce your arrival to the Clan and decide what to do with you then."

Bluefur bowed her head and nudged Ginger and Tiny out of the den. The gray she-cat now herded them over to a fern-enclosed corner. Once inside, the fern tunnel they had been herded into opened up into a small grassy clearing. A tall rock stood at one side, split down the middle by a crack wide enough for a cat to make its den inside. Lying fast asleep in a moss-laden nest outside this opening was a pale silvery tom with long whiskers and a sweeping plumy tail. At the sound of their approach, sleep-filled bright amber eyes blinked open at them.

"Bluefur?" the tom asked sleepily before parting his jaws in a yawn and sitting up, his eyes blinking in alarm when he saw Ginger's and Tiny's appearance. "What happened?"

"Thistleclaw hurt this kittypet kit," Bluefur explained, tail pointing at Tiny before turning to Ginger, "and this one got injured when she attacked Thistleclaw to stop him."

"I always knew Thistleclaw had a thirst for blood," a voice mewed from within the dark, pitch-black gloom of the den. A moment later an old speckled gray tom padded out with a bundle of leaves between his jaws, he was also limping on three paws as his left forepaw was wrapped with what looked like cobwebs.

Stopping in front of them, he gingerly set his leaves down. "Featherwhisker, I want you to take care of him," the old grizzled tom, who Ginger guessed was Goosefeather, meowed to the other younger tom. "I'll take care of her."

Goosefeather leaned closer, sniffing at Ginger, who shrank back slightly. "Oh for StarClan's sake!" he snapped. "I'm not going to hurt you!"

Deciding it would be best if she didn't irritate the elderly tom, Ginger sat still, allowing him to search out her injuries before placing cobwebs on some and leaving others. "What are the cobwebs for?" she asked hesitantly, not wanting to set him off again.

Goosefeather blinked his pale blue eyes in surprise before they began to shine with amusement. "The cobwebs help stop the bleeding," he meowed.

Ginger was surprised at the curiosity that suddenly burned deep within her. She was completely intrigued as she watched the speckled tom now placing a paste on top of all of her wounds, including the ones he had covered with cobwebs. "What is that?" she meowed, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

The elderly tom's whiskers twitched, eyes twinkling. "That, little one, is marigold chewed to a paste," he explained. "It'll keep your injuries from getting infected."

"Oh." Ginger blinked as Goosefeather rubbed the last of the marigold paste onto her wounds. None of them were deep enough to scar at least, except the scratch she had gotten above her eye. That one would most definitely leave a scar.

Glancing to the side with her peripherals, Ginger saw Featherwhisker had just finished with Tiny and had scrapped together two nests - one for her and one for him. The grizzled speckled gray tom finally finished tending her wounds.

"There," Goosefeather announced. "That should do it."

Ginger dipped her head thankfully. "Thank you, Goosefeather," she mewed, meaning every word.

"Yes, thank you." Tiny nodded at the two older cats, before turning to Bluefur who had been next to the fern tunnel in silence. "And especially you, Bluefur. There's no telling where my sister and I would be if you didn't decide to take us with you so, thank you."

The gray she-cat purred and blinked warmly at the siblings. "You're welcome," she meowed before getting to her paws. "I better leave you all to get some sleep. Tomorrow is bound to be an interesting one." That said, the she-cat disappeared through the fern tunnel.

"Bluefur is right," Featherwhisker agreed. "We better get some sleep."

They all mewed in agreement and settled down for the night. As Ginger laid down in her temporary nest, she began to reflect on everything that had happened to her and Tiny thus far. She never would've guessed that when her littermate woke her up to go exploring in the forest that they would end up getting into a fight or running into some wild cats, ThunderClan cats Ginger reminded herself. Ginger hoped Sunstar would let them stay, they really didn't have anywhere to go.

It was with these thoughts in mind, and the body heat that Tiny gave off, that finally allowed Ginger to fall into a blissful sleep.


	4. New Names

**Chapter Three**

That night, she had the mouse dream again. Ginger was padding soundlessly through the thick undergrowth of her dream forest. Up ahead was the same pesky little mouse, nibbling on a seed it had found among the leaves that littered the ground. This time she wasn't going to allow it to escape.

Ginger dropped down into a crouch, belly fur brushing the ground, and took a cautious step forward. She was now almost on top of it, and-

"Hi, I'm Whitekit!"

Ginger's eyes flashed open, startled awake by the loud cheery mew. For a moment she laid there in confusion, until she saw a fluffy white tom-kit with sparkling blue eyes. The kit himself looked around her and Tiny's age, though it was possible for him to be a moon or two younger. Beside her, Ginger's littermate lifted his head sleepily. The small tom's ice-blue eyes were bleary with sleep.

"Whitekit!" a familiar voice called, and Bluefur poked her head through the fern tunnel before shouldering her way in. The gray she-cat was giving the white tom a stern look. "What did I tell you?"

Whitekit ducked his head sheepishly. "Don't disturb them and wait until they wake up," he mumbled before glancing up. "But I wanted to meet them!"

Bluefur sighed in exasperation before turning to them. "I'm sorry," the warrior apologized, "I told him not to bother you two-"

"No, no," Ginger quickly interrupted as she stood from her nest, back arching in a much needed stretch before continuing, "it's all right."

"Easy for you to say," Tiny grumbled before lowering his head back down and curling into a tight ball, falling asleep once more.

Ginger blinked in surprise. Usually her littermate was up before her, which would then cause him to go on and wake her up as well. She turned back to the two Clan cats. "Ignore him," she mewed, "he had a harder day yesterday than I did. He's usually an early riser."

The gray warrior nodded. "I'd say so," Bluefur agreed. "But unfortunately he's going to have to wake up now. Sunstar is going to be calling a meeting soon."

At that moment, Sunstar's voice could be heard from the clearing beyond. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" the leader yowled.

"Or he's going to call it now," Whitekit teased and Bluefur gave him a mock glare before turning and padding out of the small clearing.

Behind her, Ginger heard a growl of frustration. "Can't a cat get any sleep around here?" Tiny muttered, at last getting up and climbing out of his makeshift nest. Giving his pelt a shake, the small black tom padded up to her side, a piece of moss clinging to his neck fur.

Letting out a purr, she ducked down and plucked the moss from his fur with her teeth before spitting it out and soothing her tongue over the spot where it had hung. Once done, she followed Whitekit into the main clearing, with Tiny taking up the rear.

"Come sit with me," Whitekit invited them before scampering away. He led them over to a small brown she-cat with a ginger patch on her chest. Beside the queen were two she-kits around Whitekit's age, though the pair seemed to be a few moons younger. One was had a white coat, the other a dappled gray tabby. Both were obviously going to one day become lovely she-cats. Looking away from them, Ginger now looked at Sunstar as he began to speak to the Clan cats that had gathered.

"Last night, it came to my attention that one of ThunderClan's warriors had attacked a young kit near Twolegplace," the bright ginger tom announced and the Clan cats gasped, others looked horrified.

"I was only defending our territory!" Thistleclaw snapped, the spiky warrior's voice rising above the gathered crowd. "Besides, an intruder is an intruder. Being a kit is his problem, and it was a kittypet at that."

Suddenly the Clan cats parted, letting a graying dark red she-cat through. The elder's amber eyes were like flames as they glared furiously at Thistleclaw. "In all my life, I never thought I'd see the day when one of my own kits would harm a helpless kit!" she spat at him. "You are a disgrace!" The dark red elder glanced up at Sunstar. "With your permission, I would like to conduct his own punishment."

The ThunderClan leader nodded. "You have it," he meowed simply, giving the old queen what she asked.

Thistleclaw on the other paw, was not pleased. "What!" he screeched at Sunstar, clearly outraged by this turn of events. "She has no right!"

"I may be just an old bag of bones," the old she-cat hissed, "but I'm still your mother! For three moons you are to remain in camp and take care of the queens and do whatever they ask you to do. If you fail to do so, one moon will be added to your punishment."

Sunstar bowed his head in agreement. "And to add on to that, you will no longer be the mentor of Tigerpaw."

At the sound of his name, the dark tabby apprentice looked up. He didn't look to worried about losing his mentor, in fact he looked ecstatic.

"Smallear, you will be the new mentor of Tigerpaw," the ThunderClan leader announced, and a gray tom with very small ears looked up in surprise before nodding. He padded forward from the gathered cats and touched noses to the dark tabby.

Sunstar continued. "As I was saying," the bright ginger tom began, "the kit was indeed attacked by Thistleclaw. He was also saved by his own sister who put her own life on the line to protect him."

At that, many of the Clan cats began whispering in shocked voices. Obviously a situation like this hadn't been heard of, or if it had, then it was very rare. At least for someone like a kittypet. This conclusion gave Ginger a sense of pride that she had never felt before, pride that she had done something not many kittypets had the courage to do: taking a stand against someone who would make a normal house cat run for the hills.

"And I would like to reward this young cat for her pure nerve and outstanding courage," Sunstar added, his eyes meeting hers unblinkingly, before he continued, "by offering her a choice."

Ginger could feel her heart beating quickly in her chest with excitement and relief. He wasn't going to send her away! He was giving her a chance but, will he do the same to Tiny?

As if reading her mind, the ThunderClan leader meowed, "This offer also stands for her brother as well, as Bluefur had explained to me that his twolegs won't take him back because of how he now bares the scars of a wild cat."

With his words, she found her herself feeling relieved. She wasn't going to be alone after all, and neither was her brother.

"Ginger, Tiny, come forward," Sunstar called.

Excitement burned in her paws, as Ginger padded forward with Tiny close at her side. This was it! They were going to have a new home, a new life. She felt like she could barely hold in her excitement now that she and her littermate stood at the foot of the large boulder that Sunstar addressed the Clan from.

"Ginger, Tiny," he meowed, looking down at them with shining eyes, "do you wish to join ThunderClan?"

She stood there and looked Sunstar in the eye as she meowed in a clear voice that traveled throughout the clearing, "Yes."

"Yes," Tiny echoed.

"Then from this day forward until you earn your warrior names, you Ginger will be known as Firepaw, and you Tiny will be known as Tinypaw," Sunstar announced. "Bluefur!" The gray she-cat looked up in surprise. "You are ready for your first apprentice, you will mentor Firepaw. As being my former apprentice, I know you will pass on all that I, and your first mentor Stonepelt, have taught you onto her."

Bluefur dipped her head in agreement and made her way over to Firepaw, who stood up and met her mentor half way. The warrior leaning down to touch her nose to Firepaw's like Smallear had done with Tigerpaw earlier.

"Lionheart," Sunstar called, and a magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur around his neck like a lion's mane looked up. "You too are ready for your first apprentice. Swiftbreeze was your mentor and I hope you pass on everything she taught you onto young Tinypaw."

"I won't let you down, Sunstar," Lionheart promised, and stepped forward, touching his nose with the small black tom.

Firepaw felt excitement still burning in her paws. She was an apprentice!


End file.
